The Dragons Among Us
by Juliet's Shadow
Summary: When a loner suddenly appears on SkyClan territory, Plumwillow knows she should chase him off and never speak to him again, but why does being with him feel so right? For Jeffery Dahmer's "The Challenge contest.
1. Chapter 1

**This is my entry for Jeffery Dahmer's Contest for her story "The Challenge." It's been a ton of fun writing this and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do! The point of the challenge was to give cats a little bit of recognition, so the contestants were to each pick a character that have ten or less stories about them. My choice was Plumwillow. **

Chapter One

_"__A dragon's heart burns fiercely, even in the face of evil." _

_― __S.G. Rogers_

The sun was well above the trees, but none of the warriors could have seen that with the thick layer of clouds covering the leaf-fall sky. A dark ginger tom sat looking around the quiet camp. The recent drop in the temperature marking the beginning of leaf-fall had made the cats of SkyClan busy collecting prey for the pile that was starting to dwindle. Prey was beginning to hide and the warriors would soon have to go hungry. Daylight warriors would not be permitted to take prey from the pile, though they were more than willing to hunt. Hunting wasn't what Sharpclaw was worried about, though. Prey was scarce and there had been the scent of a group of loners hunting in SkyClan territory. In the center of camp sat a trio of younger warriors, a gray tabby she-cat and brown tom sat sharing tongues, their eyes sparkling, and a third dark gray she-cat sat to the side, pawing at the ground, her claws obviously itching to go do something. "Plumwillow!" Sharpclaw called, "go take Nettlesplash and Mintfur on a border patrol. If they have enough time to gossip, they have enough time to strengthen our boundaries."

The dark gray she-cat leapt to her paws, her brother and his mate hesitantly standing. "Of course, Sharpclaw!"

Plumwillow climbed up the tree and leaped from one to another as if she were a squirrel, loving the feeling of being in the air and the feeling of the wind and leaves scratching at her fur. "Come on, you can't catch me!" Looking behind her she saw Nettlesplash and Mintfur were far behind her, gossiping like elders. The dark gray she-cat reluctantly found herself leaving the comfort the tree provided to make her way to her brother and her best friend. "What are you two doing? We're on patrol!"

"Relax, Plumwillow. Patrols are easy. Why can't Mintfur and I just talk? It's not like we're doing anything wrong."

Plumwillow could feel the fur prickle on her shoulders. In all honesty, there was nothing wrong with what the two cats were doing. Patrols were simple, unless one had to chase away a rogue. The she-cat just started to feel alone ever since her favorite brother and her best friend became mates. She felt like a pine in a forest of oaks. "Why don't you two go and patrol by the Thunderpath? I'll go and patrol the twoleg place and I'll meet you back at camp."

The she-cat ran off before the others had a chance to reply, but they didn't follow her. "_Figures," _she thought. "_They never want me around anymore anyway." _Plumwillow looked around the twoleg place border. She detected the scents of the daylight warriors mixed in with scents of unfamiliar kittypets and desperate loners whom she did not know, though that hardly mattered. It was once in a blue moon when a loner found itself brave enough to cross the border of the wild cats. Plumwillow tasted the air once again, though, to make certain the day one crossed was not today. The fur bristled on her shoulders and she suddenly wished she hadn't run away from Nettlesplash and Mintfur.

A larger figure tackled Plumwillow to the ground and she could feel claws digging into her side. She let out a hiss and rolled, striking him with her own claws causing him to recoil before striking again. The two battled like this for some time. They were equally matched, the rogues strength greater than Plumwillow's but her speed and technique outclassing his. The two eventually broke apart and glared at one another, the fur on their shoulders standing on end, hisses escaping from them. "What are you doing on SkyClan territory?"

"What are you doing claiming you own all the prey here? I'm trying to survive!" The larger tom narrowed his amber eyes and bared his teeth at the young warrior.

"So am I! There are many of us back at my camp. Why don't you just go back to your twolegs and get food from them instead of stealing from those who need it?" Plumwillow felt fire coursing through her veins and found herself with more confidence than she had had in moons.

"If I had twolegs to go to then why would I be hunting? Those sorry pieces of foxdung went away without me. They took that lousy dog with them while I was forced to stay behind to take care of myself and my sister!" The large brown tabby tom spit insults at Plumwillow and the dark gray she-cat felt a spark of pity in the pit of her stomach, but she wouldn't dare reveal this out loud.

"Can't you find another hunting ground?" she asked.

"Can't you?" The two looked at one another and lowered their hackles, but continued to watch each other with narrowed eyes. "I really am sorry I have to steal prey from your territory but my sister has two kits to feed. One of them is sick. If she doesn't get food soon then she'll die. A group of others have taken shelter with my sister and myself, but they haven't found any extra food to bring back to her. It's all I can manage to keep her, Cricket and Pine alive."

Plumwillow gave a glance to the brown tom's pelt and realized she could easily count each one of his ribs. Sharpclaw had said there had been a cat stealing prey and it suddenly occurred to Plumwillow it was the loner standing in front of her. It also occurred to her that she didn't care. The warrior code was made to help those in need. The warrior code didn't want any dead kits. Surely she has to help these loner's too. Slowly she stepped closer to him. "My name is Plumwillow. I'm a warrior of SkyClan."

The tom dipped his head to the young warrior. "I'm Dragon."

"I- I could help you hunt, if you want, Dragon. I can climb trees and stalk birds for you."

Dragon looked at her apprehensively, but he knew he was in no position to turn down the she-cat's offer. "Alright, then." The two hunted until the sun started to sink in the sky, Plumwillow catching three birds and Dragon catching a bird and a squirrel.

"I can help you take the prey back to your camp, if you want?" Dragon continued to look at Plumwillow apprehensively, but nodded in agreement anyway.

"Fine, but don't act superior like you SkyClan cats do. You all think because you've had moons of training and others to feed or protect you that the forest revolves around you. It doesn't. There are plenty of us here just trying to survive. It makes it hard when the best prey and the best territory are being held by, as much as I hate to admit it, the strongest in the forest." Plumwillow felt a sinking feeling in her stomach at Dragon's words. She didn't realize how much the loners and rogues had been suffering.

"Why are you like this, Dragon? Earlier you made it sound like you used to have twolegs of your own. What happened to them?"

Dragon looked at the dark gray she-cat with narrowed amber eyes. "Duchess, my sister, and myself were adopted by a pair of twolegs and their kits when we were young. We grew up with them and their annoying dog, but one day they started to put all their things into these large brown containers. One day they just left us, took the dog with them, but left Duchess and I to fend for ourselves. Duchess learned she was expecting kits a moon or so after they had vanished so we came to the edge of the twoleg place hoping easy access to forest prey would keep us fed."

Talking with Dragon put Plumwillow at ease. It was easy to forget that her best friend and favorite brother were currently ignoring her to be in each other's company. It was easy to forget that she was disobeying the warrior code by taking food from her own territory and giving it to a cat she had met just hours ago, but the way he spoke! Plumwillow was convinced she knew Dragon far longer than she had in reality. "You said there were other cats living with you and your sister? What about them?"

Dragon gave an amused purr. "Well there are three of them. Winter was the first to join us. She never was a kittypet, officially, though she has a tendency to visit twoleg nests and beg for food like she's starving. She gets along with Cricket and Pine well enough. Then Samson and Delilah came. They had an abusive twoleg owner who kept the two of them locked up in a single room for long periods of time giving them little food and water. They made their escape and found us. We took them in." As Dragon was talking he made a sudden stop at the edge of a twoleg fence. "You don't have to come any further, Plumwillow. My sister and I will be in your debt enough already."

Plumwillow shook her head. "I can't watch somebody starve. The warrior code wouldn't allow it. I'm sure I'll get into trouble for giving away our own food, but it was more than worth it. Let me take this to your camp."

Dragon nodded. It was amazing how much he trusted the dark gray she-cat in such a short period of time. Plumwillow seemed so honest and trustworthy that the possibility of betrayal was foreign. He lead her to the small abandoned nest in the yard of an overweight twoleg couple who never came to check on the dilapidated shed. There were holes in the roof and a pile mildewing twoleg pelts on the far end of the shed, but there was also moss growing making material for nests easy to collect. There were pieces of lumber jutting from the walls holding various bits of rusting twoleg debris but the space underneath was dry and warm. "Duchess, Cricket, Pine, I'm back. I brought food and a new-" Dragon paused, not completely sure what Plumwillow was to him. Surely she was nothing more than an ally, a mere acquaintance, but the kindness she showed in helping Dragon made her seem closer than that. "I brought a new friend. This is Plumwillow. She is a warrior of SkyClan. She offered to help me hunt and bring back all this food for you."

A young black and white tom, a kit, leapt up from the shelter of his mother's belly. "Warrior? What's that?"

Plumwillow thought about the kits question, not quite sure she could come up with an immediate answer that would satisfy the kit's curiosity. "A warrior is a protector. We watch out for our Clan, those we call our family, fighting for them and willing to die for them if it means granting their safety." Plumwillow knew that is what a warrior should do, but as of late her Clan has been feeling less and less like a family, becoming more foreign to her with each sunset. Still, the young black and white tom was satisfied with Plumwillow's answer.

"Wow! That sounds incredible! Dragon, can I be a warrior? Please?" When the tom cat gave no answer, the kit ran over to his mother where another kit was resting, her eyes open and observing everything, but it was like the other kit was only half there. "Pine, wouldn't it be fun to be a warrior?"

The small kit closed her eyes and nestled herself closer to her mother. "I don't know, Cricket," she rasped. "I want to go to sleep."

The kit's mother licked the top of her daughter's head. "Eat a little bit, won't you, my dear? Dragon and Plumwillow worked hard in catching this for us."

The kit nodded and rose to her feet, wobbling with each tiny step before she finally plopped down in front of one of the smaller birds and took a bite. Her brother settled down next to her and helped her eat her food. Plumwillow was touched by the affection between the two siblings and thought of her own brothers back at camp. Nettlesplash, Creekfeather and Rabbitleap must have begun to notice her absence by now. "I must be going," she said quietly.

Dragon nodded and stood up. "Let me walk you back to your border."

Plumwillow nodded her head in thanks and she said a small goodbye to the three cats in the den. As they left she saw Dragon nod to a duo of cats, a dark gray spotted tom and a golden and cream she-cat, who were entering the den as they made their exit. "That's Samson and Delilah." The pair hardly gave Plumwillow a glance as they entered the nest.

They continued walking when Plumwillow saw a beautiful small gray and white she-cat with the brightest, most pure green eyes she had ever seen. Plumwillow felt her heartbeat quicken when Dragon ran over to the pretty cat and flick the tip of her ear affectionately with his tail tip before he made his way back over to Plumwillow. "That's Winter."

"You didn't tell me she was beautiful," Plumwillow passive aggressively stated as the cat walked toward the way they came.

"What does it matter?" Dragon let out a reluctant sigh, "She's in love with someone else."

Plumwillow immediately felt remorse for Dragon and regret for the comment she made prior. They made their way to the border in silence, a comfortable silence to Dragon, though awkward for Plumwillow. The two were about to say goodbye when Dragon started to speak once again. "Can I see you again?"

Plumwillow knew what the answer should have been. She must remain loyal to her Clan above everything else, but she couldn't force the word 'no' off her tongue. "Meet me here tomorrow, moonhigh." Dragon nodded and ran off. It felt like a million birds were trapped in Plumwillow's stomach.

**So I hope you all like it! It's going to be three chapters long (right now). Please leave me a review and tell me how you all like the story. I hope you all are enjoying it!**

**-Juliet **


	2. Chapter 2

**This is the second part of my piece for the challenge! This chapter is a lot of filler, for the most part, and I apologize for that. I hope you will all enjoy it! **

Chapter Two

"What are you thinking about, Plumwillow?" Mintfur made herself comfortable next to her friend, trying to ignore the thick piles of snow that had made themselves comfortable around camp.

Plumwillow looks at her companion and shook her head, offering the lighter gray she-cat a bite of her pigeon. "Nothing," she said. That was untrue. Plumwillow was thinking about Dragon, about Samson and Delilah, about pretty Winter, about Duchess and her kits, she was thinking about that little group of misfits that fit so perfectly together. In the past moons Plumwillow found herself going to visit the group of cats more and more, ignoring the fluttering feeling in her gut telling her that seeing them was wrong.

Mintfur must have detected her friends lie though, a sneaky look playing upon her features. "You can't lie to me, Plumwillow. You're clearly fond of someone. Who is it?" She looked around and lowered her voice as if to tell a secret. "Is it Sagewhisker?"

Plumwillow turned to her friend, shocked. "Why would I be mooning over your littermate?"

Mintfur let out a snort as though Plumwillow said something amusing. "Have you not seen the way he looks at you? He would challenge all of StarClan for you, Plumwillow. Why don't you give him a chance?"

Plumwillow wanted to say it was because she liked someone else, a large dark brown tabby who had the power to melt her heart with just a look from his amber eyes. She wanted so badly to tell her friend of those she had been visiting, the great adventures she had roaming through the twoleg place, catching the lazy garden birds as freshkill for the loners, never eating any herself, before taking a rest in the old shed, playing with Cricket, who's eagerness to hear about Clans had him pining to join one someday, and Pine, who was getting stronger each day and had started fantasizing about one day becoming an apprentice. Plumwillow would eventually have to go back, but it was never alone. She always had an escort. Sometimes it was Samson, who said very little, but what he did say would get the mind of Plumwillow thinking for moons. Sometimes it was Delilah, who's nonstop talking could easily become annoying, but had a genuinely good heart. Other times it was pretty Winter, who had an ere of mystery shrouding her ever since Dragon revealed his crush on the she-cat, but she only had eyes for another. Most days Dragon escorted her back, and Plumwillow knew she was on the verge of completely falling for him. She wanted to tell Mintfur all of this, but she knew she couldn't.

"I'm just not that interested in your brother."

Mintfur gave Plumwillow a gentle nudge with her shoulder, letting out a small purr. "Well can you please become interested in someone soon?"

"Why?"

"Nettlesplash and I are expecting kits." Mintfur whispered the statement, but the light in her green eyes betrayed her excitement.

"Oh, um, congratulations! I'm so happy for you!" Plumwillow meant her words too, with all her heart. She just wasn't sure if she was ready to find a mate and have kits of her own, like her friend was asking her too. "I cannot wait to see them. They'll be adorable." Plumwillow thought longingly of Dragon, how she prayed to one day have that life with him. It would be impossible, though. She was a clan cat and he was the leader of a group of loners. _"The loners might as well be their own clan," _she thought. _"They have leader and they have the skill. I'm sure Delilah would be an excellent medicine cat. Cricket and Pine could become apprentices and Samson and Winter could mentor them. Dragon would be leader, though. How amazing would he be as a leader?" _

"I'm sorry, Minfur. I've got to go." Plumwillow started to make her way to the outskirts of camp when she realized her friend was following her, calling after her.

"Plumwillow! Wait! Where is it you're always going?"

If she answered and told Mintfur the truth she would be betraying SkyClan. If Plumwillow lied she would be admitting she was ashamed of the loners. She didn't want to do either, so she just ran.

Plumwillow ran until she reached the outskirts of Dragon's territory where she saw a group of four cats huddled over the carcass of a dead rabbit she recognized to be a twoleg pet. The rabbit was defenseless, and though Plumwillow admitted she liked the taste of the meal, she couldn't help feel a spark of pity for the poor beast. "Hey! What are you doing in Dragon's territory?" By the look of the cats, it was obvious they were not kittypets.

A black tom with one white foot looked up form the meal and made his way over to Plumwillow. "Dragon's territory? I haven't ever met a Dragon. What gives him a right to this place?"

"What gives you a right to it?" Plumwillow spat back at the cat. "I've never seen you around. What brought you here?"

The cat's companions, having finished their meal, came up beside the cat and looked over Plumwillow like she was a piece of prey. "What does she want, Demon?"

"She claims it is someone else's territory, but not her own."

"Leave her alone!" The cats looked at one another as a handsome long furred ginger tom with a white chest and underbelly made his way over to the group, Winter behind him. Winter ran up to Plumwillow's side, ready to defend her, but there seemed to be no need.

"Come on, Oliver. We were just having a bit if fun," a pure white tom with piercing amber eyes said.

"Ghost, she's Dragon's friend. She's the one that helped save Pine. Do you really want to hurt her?" Winter said. Plumwillow looked at the cats questioningly. They all looked to the ginger tom, Oliver, as their leader, but he was away with Winter. "Oliver, take Ghost, Demon, Roxanne and Raptor to Dragon. I'll tell Plumwillow what's been going on."

Winter watched as Oliver lead the cats away, the two exchanging a loving look, Winter's green eyes meeting Oliver's amber ones in a lingering moment before they took off into the twoleg place. "Winter, there's something Dragon's wanted to talk to you about."

Plumwillow felt her heartbeat quicken in her chest. Did Dragon like her? Was he too afraid to tell her, so he asked Winter to? Was he angry at her and sending her away? "Plumwillow, Dragon has been looking to start a Clan. He has been looking around for other loners and rogues, including my mate's family, the rogues you just met, but he wants someone who is in a Clan to help him. He wanted me to ask you."

Plumwillow was taken aback by the request. A new Clan? She knew where Firestar and Sandstorm came from there were four Clans, but she never imagined having another Clan besides SkyClan. If she joined, then she would have to leave SkyClan. She would have to leave Mintfur, Nettlesplash, Creekfeather, Rabbitleap, her entire family. "Why didn't Dragon ask me this himself?"

Winter gave a small shrug. "He was too afraid you'd say no," she said calmly.

"Aren't you afraid I'll say no?"

Winter shook her head. "I've seen the way you look at Dragon, and the way he looks at you. You couldn't stay away long enough to say no."

Plumwillow, in her heart, knew Winter was right, but that didn't make her less apprehensive. "Can I say goodbye to my family, my Clan? I could tell Leafstar. I'm sure she would be more than willing to let Dragon come receive nine lives, if he is to become leader."

Mintfur nodded. "Of course! Come back tomorrow. Dragon said we're going to look for a real camp and start a real clan."

Plumwillow spent her last night in SkyClan with her best friend and family, not letting any of them know she was leaving, though she did tell Leafstar, who called Echosong and Frecklewish into the den to speak with her. "My vision makes sense now," Frecklewish said. "I remember hearing about what a dragon was. In my dream I saw a large winged lizard coming down from the stars. It must mean the new creation of a clan. Leafstar, it would be feather-brained to not let Plumwillow go. That clan would die without her."

Plumwillow left in the morning, Leafstar promising to not make any announcements until sunset the following day, giving Plumwillow enough time to settle with the loners, or come back if she changes her mind, though she didn't. Dragon was leader of the clan and he appointed Plumwillow as his deputy and prepared the first warrior ceremony DragonClan had even been a part of. "Duchess from this day on, you shall be known as Amberpetal." The ceremony continued, Winter becoming Fogpool, her mate, Oliver, becoming Foxbriar, Samson becoming Sootspots and Delilah became Diasystem. The cream and gold she-cat, knowing she would be little use fighting, inquired in becoming medicine cat, so Daisystem became the first DragonClan medicine cat. Demon, Ghost, Roxanne and Raptor, in turn, became known as Beetlefoot, Icefang, Squirrelberry and Lizardtail. Cricket and Pine were given apprenticeships, Cricketpaw's mentor becoming Sootspots and Pinepaw's becoming Fogpool. The clan was alive, found a home, and eventually a leader when Dragon received his nine lives and became known as Dragonstar.

After two moons of peace, SkyClan and DragonClan getting along with one another and meeting at the full moon for gatherings, Dragonstar took Plumwillow aside. "Plumwillow, will you be my mate?" She said yes.

**Please tell me what you guys think in a review! **


	3. Chapter 3

**Final Chapter! **

Epilogue

Plumwillow stood as deputy as three kits made their way to be apprenticed. The first was a dark brown she-cat with amber eyes. She made her way to the front of the Clan with her head held high, confidence coming off her in waves. The second was a light gray tabby she-cat with amber eyes. She looked down at her paws, careful to avoid attention, trying to disappear into the crowd. The last was a dark gray tom with yellow eyes. He didn't look any different than usual, just giving a small purr to those he passed.

"This is a special day for DragonClan. The first kits that were born within the Clan are becoming apprenticed today. Sprucekit, please step forward." The dark brown tabby she-cat stepped forward, looking just like a smaller version of her father. "Sprucekit, you have now reached the age of six moons. You will now be known as Sprucepaw." Dragonstar looked at the warriors looking up at him from below. "Pineflower, you received excellent training from Fogpool," he took a look at the heavily pregnant queen before turning his attention back to Pineflower, "I expect you to pass the training you received to Sprucepaw." Pineflower bowed her head and made her way up to where Sprucepaw was standing, before touching noses with the young apprentice.

"Palekit, from this day on you shall be known as Palepaw. Beetlefoot, you proved yourself to be an outstanding warrior when we battled the dogs in the previous moon. I trust you to pass on these skills to Palepaw." Palepaw looked startled at seeing the former rogue was being named her mentor, but she took a breath and touched noses with him when he came to her.

"Finally, Webkit, you shall now be known as Webpaw." Webpaw could feel himself starting to shake from excitement. He wondered who his mentor was going to be. He looked across the Clan and saw several faces looking at him. "Foxbriar, you have been a loyal warrior for many moons and I know you will continue to be one. Please pass your skill and knowledge to Webpaw."

The Clan started cheering for the three new apprentices, "Sprucepaw! Palepaw! Webpaw! Sprucepaw! Palepaw! Webpaw!" Very few noticed when Fogpool called over Daisystem and the two made their way back into the nursery. It didn't take long for the news to spread that the kits were coming. Plumwillow went into the nursery to calm her friend as she gave birth to the newest kits of DragonClan. She knew how difficult it was after having her own kits. She noticed Foxbriar, the father, trying to peek his way in to check on his mate, but Daisystem turned him away.

"Go do something productive, like training Webpaw. It will be a while still." The sun had clearly changed positions in the sky when the time for the kits to be born actually arrived. When Fogpool gave birth to five kits, three toms and two she-kits, they were saddened to see one of the toms and one of the she-kits were stillborn.

Plumwillow licked her friends ear comfortingly. "They're in StarClan, Fogpool. You still have three others to care for."

Fogpool nodded. "I know." She looked at the two dead kits, both tinier than the other three that had lived. "I shall name the dead kits Dawnkit and Duskkit, since they both never got to see the beauty of a dawn or dusk." Fogpool then turned her attention to the living kits. They squirmed healthily to their mother's belly. "I shall name the ginger tom Emberkit, for his ginger pelt, the she-cat Snowkit for her gray and white pelt, and I shall name the last tom, the gray and white tom, Cricketkit, in remembrance of Cricketleap."

Plumwillow nodded. "Those are fine names." Still, she could not help but feel saddened at the thought of Cricketleap's death. The tom had sacrificed himself to save Fogpool's life when the Clan had battled the dogs. The tom had seen the large beast charging itself at Fogpool, so he jumped between them, right into the jaws of the dog, causing him to die a slow, but painful death. The Clan managed to chase the dogs away, and that was all because of Cricketleap. The dogs became distracted at the scent of fresh blood and ran over to Cricketleap's body. From there Beetlefoot led Sootspots, Icefang and Lizardtail in an attack on the dogs. They never came back.

Fogpool looked at Cricketkit, as well as Emberkit and Snowkit, lovingly. "It's because of Cricketleap these kit's are alive. Seems right to name one of them after him."

Looking at these kits Plumwillow knew DragonClan would be strong, but seeing the unmoving bodies of Dawnkit and Duskkit made her uneasy. Would DragonClan be doomed to live with the dead bodies?

**I think I'm going to make a spin off for DragonClan because I had so much fun developing it, so keep a lookout for that! Thank you all so much for reading! **


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